Advertisements on Indian television have often been accused of portraying women as sexual objects or a 'sanskari' woman who only dreams of getting married to the person of her parents' choice. Indian advertisements hardly portray a progressive mindset and stick to the same plot and the same settings to appease the viewers.
However, there seems to be a silver lining with several companies and brands creating advertisements around women empowerment, thereby taking the risk of portraying women in a progressive light and shedding the usual stereotypes that the advertisement industry usually conforms to.
Here are five advertisements that got feminism right:
The Titan Raga Woman Of Today ad, featuring Nimrat Kaur
The advertisement shows Kaur running into her former boyfriend at an airport lounge. The man then suggests that their relationship could have worked if she had agreed to quit her job. When she suggests that he could have done the same, the ex-boyfriend says, "How can a man not work?" The ad clearly shows how times have changed, but his patriarchal mindset hasn't.
Anouk: Bold Is Beautiful (The Visit)
The ad shows two lesbian girls dressed in kurtas created by Anouk, preparing themselves to meet the conservative parents of one of the girls to tell them about their live-in relationship. They are seen feeling the same parent-meeting jitters that heterosexual couples go through, thereby excluding the anomaly factor that usually surrounds homosexual relationships.
Forest Essentials ayurvedic cream
This 2015 ad shows a woman preparing herself to go to battle and seeking the blessings of her father. The ad is a much-needed break from the ones that objectify women and portray them as mere sex commodities. It is a fresh example of changing the way people usually perceive gender roles. The ad is a tribute to the most powerful woman of all — Mother Nature.
Fab Alley – What The F**k Should I Wear?
"F**k the pressure, f**k expectations and f**k the fashion police!" This ad featuring comedian Radhika Vaz lashes out at the society for expecting women to look and dress in a particular way to portray a particular image. The ad also slams body shaming and the notion of a "perfect body." It encourages women to dress for themselves without worrying about what the society has to say.
Havells Appliances Coffee Maker Ad- Respect For Women
This ad slams the idea of women being perceived as a kitchen accessory in a sarcastic and humorous way, thereby mocking the traditional concept of an arranged marriage where women are usually seen as someone who would take care of household chores.
